1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to multiple pane glass units, and more specifically to multiple pane glass units installed in a fashion known as "butt-glazed". Glass units of this type are installed in a building to achieve the appearance of a continuous band of glass around the building, or a long expanse of glass with minimal vertical joints.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art glass units of the indicated type may require installation from the outside of the building and require the use of a temporary fastening means which must remain in place until the exterior wet weatherseal, which requires outside scaffolding to apply, has set properly. Then the temporary fastening means is removed. These prior art units also require a permanent upright stiffener on the inside of the building, and so are referred to as "flush-glazed" rather than "butt-glazed" which requires no inside stiffeners. Such stiffeners are not desirable because they tend to obscure the view from the inside of the building, to prohibit the placing of furniture close to the windows, and do not allow the appearance of a continuous glass ribbon (which is aesthetically desired).
Conventional multiple pane glass units are supported against wind load forces by clamping them into a window frame which supports the glass unit at the head, sill and sides. Such glass units are provided with relatively weak spacers between the panes of glass.
However, in typical flush-glazing, the vertical edges of the glass unit are not supported in a frame and support is given to the vertical edges of the glass unit by a stiffener mounted inside the building. To install the flush-glazed glass unit, it is conventional to clamp it in place by a temporary fastening means until the vertical structural adhesive applied to the vertical edges has cured.
Moreover, if a prior art flush-glazed glass unit breaks and has to be replaced, the replacement glass unit must be installed from the outside of the building in the same manner, and this presents a problem and is expensive.
In application Ser. No 439,064, filed Nov. 3, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,874, there is shown a multiple pane glass unit which may be installed easily from the interior or exterior of a building and which does not require a permanent upright stiffener on the inside of the building, nor does it require exteriorly applied weatherseal, nor does it require the utilization of a temporary fastening means to hold the glass unit in place while the structural adhesive joining the abutting units and structural support is curing.